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Houston Companies Blast Off with Space Grants

News Summary

The Texas Space Commission has awarded over $26 million in grants to five innovative companies in the Houston area, enhancing Texas’s role in the space industry. This funding is aimed at advancing space exploration and aeronautics research, with a total of $95.3 million allocated from a $150 million budget. Companies such as Aegis Aerospace and Venus Aerospace are among the grant recipients, paving the way for future innovations. With a surge in applications, Texas is poised to strengthen its leadership in space endeavors and is expecting additional funding discussions.

Texas – The Texas Space Commission has awarded over $26 million in grants to five Houston-area companies in its latest funding initiative aimed at strengthening the state’s space industry. The board approved these grants on April 16, 2025, as part of a broader effort to foster innovation and growth in the ever-expanding space economy.

This funding round follows earlier awards made in February to five companies and in January to four economic development organizations, demonstrating the commission’s ongoing commitment to supporting Texas’ leadership in space exploration and aeronautics.

Gwen Griffin, chair of the Texas Space Commission board, highlighted the importance of these projects not only for the companies involved but also for maintaining Texas’s competitive edge in the space sector. With the grand vision facilitated through these grants, the commission aims to attract significant talent and investment to the region.

The financial support is drawn from a substantial $150 million appropriation by the Texas Legislature in 2023 dedicated to Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research. To date, the commission has allocated approximately $95.3 million from this fund, which has received considerable interest, indicated by the total of 284 applications submitted, amounting to a staggering $3.46 billion in requests during the recent proposal call that closed in January.

Among the latest grant recipients are notable companies such as:

Aegis Aerospace Inc. – Up to $10 million for developing advanced material manufacturing capabilities in space.
Interlune Corp. – Up to $4.8 million to establish a Lunar Regolith Simulant Center of Excellence at Texas A&M University Space Institute.
Venus Aerospace Corp. – Up to $3.9 million to construct a rocket engine test site at the Houston Spaceport.
KULR Technology Group Inc. – Up to $6.7 million to create technologies focused on reducing battery power consumption in spacecraft.
Icon Technology Inc. – Up to $694,000 for renovating a facility to produce lunar regolith simulants.

The Texas Space Commission is actively evaluating additional proposals for the remaining funds, with a strong focus on advancements in spacecraft manufacturing, lunar material simulation, and elevating testing facilities within the space industry.

Further encouraging news comes from Rep. Greg Bonnen, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, who suggested that there may be potential for additional funding for the commission in the current legislative session, highlighting ongoing legislative support for Texas’s space endeavors.

Previous funding rounds have been significant, with $21.5 million awarded in one instance and a notable $47.7 million in another, aimed at various enhancements and project support throughout the Texas space sector. This continued investment underscores the state’s strategy to cultivate a vibrant and robust space industry, crucial for both economic growth and technological advancements.

It should be noted that during the board’s approval session, Heather Wilson, president of the University of Texas El Paso, voted against KULR’s grant, though no specific rationale was provided for her dissent.

The Texas Space Commission’s proactive funding strategy illustrates a sustainable approach to nurturing innovation and collaboration among companies poised to make significant contributions to the field of space exploration and technology, further cementing Texas’s prominent role in the global space economy.